That drop was even worse in the key demographic of 25- to 54-year-olds, the most prized demographic with advertisers. Among that group of viewers, ratings declined 54 percent.

Wednesday’s ratings were more than just an expected drop from a previous night’s inflated figure. Her overall Wednesday night ratings were down 9 percent from the Wednesday of the previous week, and 16 percent lower in the 25-54 demo, suggesting the lack of substance to accompany Maddow’s pre-show hype left a bad taste in the mouths of some of her viewers.

Maddow had promised to reveal Trump’s taxes, which had the potential to be a blockbuster story because Trump has refused to release his tax returns.

However, all she had to show for the hype were two page of Trump’s 1040 form from 2005. Further, because Maddow spent the first 20 minutes of her Tuesday show building up the revelation, she was ridiculed on social media. She also was scooped by the White House itself, as well as other media.

“Was there a huge, damning bombshell in these tax returns? No. The bombshell here is that some of his tax returns were made public for the first time when he’s been trying so hard to keep them secret,” she said Wednesday on The Tonight Show.

Others have been less charitable, including some of her fellow liberals.

“… it turned out to be a big Nothing Burger. Worse than a Nothing Burger. It was a Help Trump Burger,” said talk show host Bill Maher.